Back to computer nerdery: We got a Quadra 900 (an older Macintosh) with its monitor and most of its parts, and an Apple // with its monitor, disk drives, an EliteOne disk drive, for free. They were just going to throw them out!

The Quadra boots nicely, the monitor works. We just have to worry about installing a hard drive (from a dead PowerPC Mac we have) and getting an Operating System on it. But it runs beautifully!

It also goes for 300-500 on eBay regularly.

The Apple // runs much cheaper, but free is free and it can join our other Apple // which my mum has had since she was first married in the early 80's.

Back to computer nerdery: We got a Quadra 900 (an older Macintosh) with its monitor and most of its parts, and an Apple // with its monitor, disk drives, an EliteOne disk drive, for free. They were just going to throw them out!

The Quadra boots nicely, the monitor works. We just have to worry about installing a hard drive (from a dead PowerPC Mac we have) and getting an Operating System on it. But it runs beautifully!

It also goes for 300-500 on eBay regularly.

The Apple // runs much cheaper, but free is free and it can join our other Apple // which my mum has had since she was first married in the early 80's.

Earlier this year I went to a thrift shop* that a friend told me about. On that day, I went in and a customer was trying on some cute boot shoes. She wasn't convinced about them ("Do I like them?"). I mentioned if she didn't like them, I would like to try them. The clerk helping her said that they were size 11 (my size sometimes) and they got a WHOLE bunch of new shoes-in original boxes- in that size. I got a pair of Dansko shoes (the sticker said retail $150US) and a pair of Born high heel clogs (most Born shoes like what I have are about $90US). They were $15 each. The gal who had been trying on shoes said that she only had 3 pair of shoes to her name because it was so hard to find decent shoes in her size. She ended up buying about 25 pairs -not kidding.

Same type of store as above, I have gotten Coldwater Creek jackets there for good deals (one that looks like a Monet pastel was $15 and a short sleeve eyelet jacket was $5).

*it actually is a non-profit that uses the store to raise money for a women's shelter. It is set up more like a boutique and has mostly name brand things.

There is a thrift shop in a different part of town that is more like a normal thrift shop. One regret that I didn't get was a Relic brand purse that I later learned was about $100US and I saw it at a that thrift shop for $10. Kind of wanted that one now.

I just discovered a new thrift store in Aurora, IL, called New Uses. It's a fascinating place, a "high-end" thrift store, if you can imagine such a thing. For example, they don't sell single glasses; they shrink-wrap matched sets of four or six, and sell the set. They don't sell single plates, but shrink-wrap and sell the entire dining set.

The truly amazing thing is their prices. The manager says they try to sell for 40% or less of the price of the item new. So we picked up a curio cabinet for DD for $35. Then DH fell in love with an espresso machine. It was $90, which was a little more than I expected, but it was absolutely new and unused in the box, with the instructions and all parts. When we got home, DH looked it up online- it normally sells for $400.

We'll be going back to that store!

We used to have a very similar thrift store. It was full of beautiful antiques and high quality goods, and a gorgeous layout. We got some quality items there, everything from a working transistor radio to Sherry Ames books, Hello Kitty and Sanrio goods (way before they were big in the States; these were imported from Japan!), old sewing patterns, and a 45 of Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer (that was my own choice.)

Mum's friend introduced us to Sanrio while she was living in Japan; she sent my sister and I some gifts. One was a pair of scissors with the Twin Stars and ribbons on it, and a notebook with My Melody on the binding, on it, the other was a gorgeous stationary set with Tabby the Mouse and Zashikibuta (a pig) on the top, it was so very pretty in design!

She converted us: Now my favorite is Chococat. My sister's own is My Melody.

Back to computer nerdery: We got a Quadra 900 (an older Macintosh) with its monitor and most of its parts, and an Apple // with its monitor, disk drives, an EliteOne disk drive, for free. They were just going to throw them out!

The Quadra boots nicely, the monitor works. We just have to worry about installing a hard drive (from a dead PowerPC Mac we have) and getting an Operating System on it. But it runs beautifully!

It also goes for 300-500 on eBay regularly.

The Apple // runs much cheaper, but free is free and it can join our other Apple // which my mum has had since she was first married in the early 80's.

Ooh - I grew up reading the Cherry Ames books! She was a young nurse just back from WWII and getting into various mysteries as she went from job to job, looking for the right job to settle down into.....I loved those!

I stopped by our Goodwill last night to see what they had. I was looking for dress pants and didn't find any I liked in my size but I did find: an old Tixie Beldon paperback--my BFF and I used to read them, so I had to have it, one of those hilariously tacky shell souvenirs--I have a shelf in my kitchen for "tacky Florida souvenirs", the one I found last night are 4 figures sitting at a table playing cards, smoking cigars. The whole thing stands about 4" tall and is entirely made of shells, its so funny. I also got a nice hammered aluminum ice bucket, made in Italy, and a lovely charcoal color, cashmere and wool coat. It's a man's, but it fits me and I need a new winter coat. My total for all my treasures was $12.

I attended a Crop Fest yesterday, spending most of the day in a large room with a couple of dozen other women each with our own table space to do scrapbooking. Consultants had cash and carry items. A red leatherette album/frame caught my eye, for $20. Eh, I considered it, and began to sort through my tubs and get organized!!

A couple of hours in, I find the exact same leatherette album/frame, with the price tag from my GoodWill shopping trip way back still stuck on. One dollar and 99 cents.

Whoo Hoo!!

The consultant's look when I told her that I would not be buying her item after all, was consternation, because who would dump such a great product off for charity, and then why would they price it so low?!?

The consultant's look when I told her that I would not be buying her item after all, was consternation, because who would dump such a great product off for charity, and then why would they price it so low?!?

Because they don't want it, of course (maybe their MIL gave it to them!) and the thrift shop people don't know or care what the retail price is.

I wonder about some things like that in the thrift shops, but the other way -- why do people give stuff to charity that ought to be consigned to the trash? Who on earth is going to want a wine glass etched with Our WeddingJoe and Jane SmithJuly 4th, 1999Luv4evar ?

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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Common sense is not a gift, but a curse. Because thenyou have to deal with all the people who don't have it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I bought a $300 (well, it was when I looked at it a while back) pattern drafting system at the local Goodwill earlier this month - for $4. I almost felt guilty selling to someone for $10 and postage to get it to them because I'd picked it up only to "play" with it, knowing that it doesn't work well for the plus size woman with a bosomy build.

But she's happy to have it and I'm happy to have more cash for shopping the thrift store - and the price on eBay ranges from $25 to $70, depending on if it is the basic kit, has all the parts, and how recent a vintage it is. I did remember why I didn't buy it at the three figures price (no darts on the patterns at all - in my experience most females need them to get a good fit).

The city's charity "garage sale" of the year was this weekend. We went on Saturday and I bought nothing, but BF and my sister got some good, small things, spending $14 total for an art book, a statuette, some bowls and a case for an iTouch.

Then we went back today. For $3 and a fight with hordes of anxious shoppers, you got a huge cardboard box to fill with anything you wanted. We got two boxes, so for $6: 40 or so books (about 15 fiction, 15 beautiful art books, some with loads of full-color plates, and 10 ordinary nonfiction), plus 2 vintage scarves, a robe and a nice pillowcase.

Some of the used books go for $70+ in the shape we got them in, most for $30+, so I'd estimate the value of the stuff we got at $400+ at non-specialty store prices.

My SIL mved out of my house this weekend and into her own apartment. On one hand, I'm happy for her, we can use the space; on the other, it feels strange not having the "third parent" around. But I digress. This move means each kid can have their own bedroom now. "Jean," age 7, called dibs on the newly vacated room, and DH and I told her we'd get her some different things to furnish it. Little brother is keeping the nursery furniture.

For $10 we got her a desk, $4 a bookshelf, and $2 a computer chair for the desk. She is ecstatic to have a private desk for doing homework and drawing.

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“A real desire to believe all the good you can of others and to make others as comfortable as you can will solve most of the problems.” CS Lewis